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Study: Pittsburgh children suffer from asthma more than most places in US

Study: Pittsburgh children suffer from asthma more than most places in US

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Updated: 6:33 PM EDT Sep 8, 2017

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WEBVTT rt WITHASTHMA THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THECOUNTRY.WHILE LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE,FLORIDA, RAY SHAUN CLIFFORD SAYSHER DAUGHTER USED ANrt INHALERTWICE A DAY.WHEN THE FAMILY MOVED TOCLAIRTON IT BECAME MORE FREQUENTLIKE SIX TIMES A DAY.>> SHE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THEEMERGENCY ROOM.rtSHE WAS TAKEN FROM SCHOOL WHERESHE WOULD HAVE TO GET HERINHALER.>> THE ASTHMA KILLS PATIENTSEACH YEAR.WE SEE AT LEAST SEVERAL HUNDREDIN THE U.S. DIE OF ASTHMrtA.REPORTER: A DOCTOR JUSTCOMPLETED A STUDY ON HOWWIDESPREAD ASTHMA IS AMONGSCHOOL-AGED KIDS IN THEPITTSBURGH AREA.THE NATIONAL AVERAGErt SHOWS 8% OFCHILDREN IN THE POPULATIONSUFFER FROM ASTHMA.IT'S 10% IN PENNSYLVANIA.BUT 22.5% IN THErt PITTSBURGHAREA.ALMOST THREE TIMES THE NATIONALAVERAGE.MANY OF THE 1200 KIDS IN THEDOCTOR'S STUDY LIVE INrt CLAIRTONAND BRADDOCK.>> THEY LIVE NEAR VERYINDUSTRIAL SOURCES OF POLLUTIONLIKE THE CLAIRTON COKE WORKS ORrtTHE BRADDOCK SPILL MILL.THEY ARE GETTING HIGHER LEVELSOF POLLUTION BECAUSE OF THEIRPROXIMITY TO THE SOURCES.ALONG WITH THE HIGHERrt LEVELS OFPOLLUTION WE ARE SEEING HIGHERRATES OF ASTHMA IN THEM.>> I WISH I COULD LEAVE NOW.IT'S HORRIBLE, I HATE IT.THIS IS WHERE I'M FROM.>> THE DOCTOR SAYS THE AIRrtQUALITY IN SOME TOWNS ISENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.>> THEY CAN ONLY AFFORD THEHOUSING THAT IS NEXT TO THESEINDUSTRIAL FACILITIES.FAMILY THAT MAKrtE MORE MONEY AREABLE TO MOVE OUT TO THE SUBURB.REPORTER: THE BEST RECOMMENDEDSOLUTION FOR FAMILIES IS TO MOVEOUT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVErt BAD

Study: Pittsburgh children suffer from asthma more than most places in US

Children from small towns around Pittsburgh have a higher rate of asthma cases than anywhere else in the United States, according to a study led by a pediatric asthma physician.

Dr. Deborah Gentile, of Pediatric Alliance, says her three-year study revealed that children living in the Pittsburgh area have a higher rate of asthma cases -- nearly three times the national average.

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Nationally, 8 percent of children in the population suffer from asthma. In Pennsylvania, that number is 10 percent -- but it's 22.5 percent in the Pittsburgh region.

Many of the 1,200 children who were examined "lived near very industrial sources of pollution, like the Clairton Coke Works and the Braddock steel mill," Gentile said. "We are finding that they're getting higher levels of pollution because of their proximity to those sources, and along with those higher levels of pollution, we're seeing higher rates of asthma in them.

"They can only afford the housing that's next to these industrial facilities. Families that make more money are able to move out to the suburbs."

Gentile presented results from her study at The Air We Breathe, an environmental conference at the Renaissance Hotel.